Electrical arrangement for protecting ships&#39; bottoms from barnacles or aquatic life and such like.



J. E. JAMES.

ELECTRICAL ARRANGEMENT FOR PROTECTING SHIPS BOTTOMS FROM BARNAGLES 0R AQUATIC LIFE AND SUCH LIKE.

Patented June 6, 1911.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3,1910.

Jbkn' A Evans Iams WITNESSES 5. with the express object of 1 attached to the outside number of the hull. through a negative terminal attached to an UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE.

JOHN EVANS. JAMES; or BOLTON, ENGLAND.

nLEo'rRIcAL ARRANGEMENT FOR PROTECTING SHIPS norToMs rRoM BARNAcLEs OB AQUATIC LIFE AND suon LIKE.

Specifipation of Letters iatent.

atented J une 6, 1911'.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I,'JoHN EvANs JAMES, a subject, of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing. at 1 Acresfield, Bolton, in

the county of Lancaster, England, military and merchant tailor, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Arrange ments for Protecting Ships Bottoms from Barnacles or Aquatic Life and Such Like, of t which the following is aspecification My said invention relates to electrical arrangements or means for electrifying the water immediately surrounding a ships hull, preventing. the attachment thereto of aquatlc life, such as barnacles', &c.

' The purpose of the invention is, to distribute high tension electricity in the. im-

mediate vicinity of the submerged hull so as to impart a shock to animal ora'quatic life,

and this by an induced current, whereby due to a high tension discharge a shock is prevented from attaching themselves. By such discharges of high tension current the hull is kept clean.

Now according to my invention I propose to electrify the water surrounding the ship by suitably dividing one pole ofacoil, attery, dynamo, or other electrical source of energy, into a number of distributing points or terminals and these distributing points may be'connected to'insulated plates of the ships bottom. By. this, I get a discharge of currentfrom a points arranged at intervals over The return or earth may be insulated plate carried. on the hull, but, for preference, I also divide the return or other pole and connect the divided points to' in sulated plates attached tothe, outside of the vessel and so the electric current flows from one set of discharge ints to -other points through 'the surround iig water space. Instead of using outsideinsulated plates I may pierce the hull of the vessel and insert insulators which carry or sustain discharge points or terminals, or current distributers, and allow the current to earth through the hull itself, or a negative terminal or ter minals may be fitted to return the current. 7

Such a disposition of the' distributingpoints is arranged for, as will allow of the current exercising an equal or even eifect over the surface to be protected. I also use coilsor transformers whereby wit-h a low voltage supply I can yet get discharges of high ten sion current such as will have the desired effect over a considerable area and this is an important feature of my invention.

- I illustrate by of my invention. 7

In Figure 1 I show a-positive pole divided into a number of discharge points or terminals marked 1, 2, 3, 4 and arranged one above the other in the bow of the vessel a. The discharge points or terminals are secured to insulated plates marked b. Respecting the negative-pole for the return I 7 divide this similarly into a number of returnoints or terminals, 5, 6, 7, 8 carried upon insulated plates 0 secured to the vessels v stern.

In Fig. 2 I show the positive points or length of the vessel and carried by insulated plates 12, while the negative points 5, .6, 7, 8

are carried at alower level on insulated In, Fig. 3 the positive pole is divided-up into a number of points or terurinals 1 to 10 carried on insulated plates 6 secured to the vessels side, while the return is through a negative terminal 11 fixed on-an insulated plate d.

By. Fig. 41 indicate the use of discharge terminals or points 12 from dividing the pole or supply'source into a number of'discharge points supplying sparking plugs or discharge terminals, the discharge points 12 being each separately sustained by annular insulators 13' fixed in holes bored in the shell of the vessel (see Figs. 6 and 7). In this case, the return is through a ne ative terminal 11 carried upon an insulatetf'plate d.

In Fig. 5 the use of discharge terminals or points 12 from a divided pole isalso indicated, each discharge point or terminal being separately sustainedby annular insulators plates 0.

13 fixed in holes bored or fashioned in the 1 0 exterior plates of the ship. The current returns or earths through the plates of the ship itself in thiscase. In Fig. 6 I indicate the application of an insulated plug 13 with discharge point 12 as 105 applied from the interior of the vessel and also an induction coil e whereby a high tension discharge is obtained for my purpose.

1 By Fi 7 I show another insulating plug I 13 with ischarge point or terminal 12, the 110 diagrams the application terminals 1, 2, 3, 4 distributed along. the t plug being passed into position from the outside of the vessel. An induction coil is also indicated in this figure. In the cases of an insulated plug introduced into a bored hole in the vessel plates, less friction with the water is set up.

I use such a system of wirin and such .electrical devices, either automatlc or-otherwise, as may be-necessary to enable me to discharge-at regular or other intervals high tension electric current from the discharge or delivery points distributed over the ships hull to electrify the Water immediately about the ship. By the use of high tension current I get an efllect' over a considerable area of water from each point or terminal. I make use of induction cdils or transformers or other devices which will give me a high tension current for the requisite discharges, and I for preference work from a low tension current and by such devices as induction coils, &c., transform same-into high tension current. In certain of the figures I have indicated induction coils for transforming the current conveyed by the divided pole supply wires into high tension current and these coils are marked e. Likewise by switches, commutators or-such like I may arrange for the current to be altered or regulated' to better perform the object of my in vention. That object resides, ingetting a discharge of high tension current from a divided pole or poles using induction coils,

transformers or such like, which, by points or terminals, distributes high tension electricity over the water area adjacent to the vessel, the current rentering the vessel as necessary. By said system, repeated shocks are imparted to any aquatic llfe approaching or encountering the vessel. It 15 to be understood that a number of poles may be high tension supports on the sides of said ship,

divided each into its separate section or batch of distributing points distributing current.

The induction coils or transformers are in all cases so combined, and the wiring so arranged, as to give current of a sufliciently hi h tension for-the purpose in view.

I declare that what I claim is.

1. In a ship-protecting device, in combination, a source of current, a plurality of induction coils, electrical connections between said source of current and the primary windings of said coils, a plurality of insulated and discharge points carriedby said supports, said discharge points being electrically connected to the secondary windings of said coils, said ship being free from extraneous means for the return of the current.

2. In a ship-protecting device, combination,

a source of current, a plurality of induction coils, electrical connections between said source of current and the prunary wmd- 'ings of said coils, a plurality of insulated supports on the sides of said ship, and discharge pointscarried by said supports, said discharge points being electrically connected to the secondary windings of said coils, current returning means electrically connected to said secondary windings for conducting the current from the discharge points, said means bein free from any portion extending beyond the sides of the ship.

. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOHN EVANS JAMES. 

